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Legend Pilsner
Where Spotted: Whole Foods, 2700 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Price: $3.49/22 oz. bottle
Bohemian tap-sody: Around 1840, eons before marketers invented “drinkability,” Czech brewers in Bohemia created pilsner, a light beer that didn’t taste like spongewater. Today the best pilsners are still found in continental Europe, partly because of demand and partly because it’s home to the style’s signature Saaz hop. But stateside, where this proletariat brew is relegated to craft corners, Richmond’s Legend Brewing Co. makes a big German version with rich, yellow-apple body and a boozy kick at 5.8 percent abv.
Bender Roles: In the Czech Republic, pilsner is for men, while the sweeter black lager is for women. A man ordering a black lager will often be openly mocked (seriously). We Americans draw inverse but equally inane conclusions. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard someone boast about drinking, “strong, dark beer” or pooh-pooh a beer for its light color. Ladies and gentlemen, the solution is simple: Order one of each. Double-fist. Bathe in applause.
Seen an interesting quaff lately? twitter.com/beerspotter